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(No'Model) H. E. WAITE.

ELECTRIC TELEPHONE.

No. 319,042. Patented June 2, 1885.

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HENRY E. IVAITE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ELECTRIC TELEPHONE.

:SPEGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 319,042, dated June 2, 1885. Application filed September 20, 1884. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY E. Wnrrn, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Telephones, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to battery-telephones, and has for its object to simplify the construction of such instruments and reduce their cost to a minimum, and at the same time produce an exceedingly delicate and accurately-operating telephone, that is not liable to get out of order; and to these ends my invention consists of the new and improved means for holding or supporting the electrodes and accurately and delicately adjusting them.

It also consists in certain details of construction, as more particularly pointed out hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a transverse sectional view of a telephone, showing theimproved supports for the electrodes. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional View of the instrument, showing it supported in trunnions in fixed brackets or standards secured to the desk or wall; and Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view of a modified form of the instrument.

The electrodes AB are made of any suitable material, but preferably carbon having polished ends, and these are each secured to the inner ends of volute springs O D in any suitable manner.

In Figs. 1 and 2 I have shown the electrodes as having a groove, a, cut in its outer surface, and the inner end of the wire spring is sprung orwound around the electrode. This allows the ready attachment or removal of the carbon when desired.

In Fig. 3 I have shown the electrode held in a metal sleeve, I), which is connected in any suitable manner to the end of the spring.

The springs G D may be made of any suitable conducting material, and are supported in a position opposite each other on an insulatingsupport, E, that shown in Fig. 1 consisting of a ring of wood or rubber having an internallyprojecting flange, e, against which the outer coils of the springs rest, and to which they some distance apart, and an electrode, F, of

platinum or other similar material, may be supported between these in any suitable manner, as by a wire or pin, f, entering the flange e of the holder. It will thus be seen that the working parts of the telephone are very simple and economical, and can be constructed separately and attached to any form of case or holder. I have shown a case of the usual construction, consisting of a body, G, mouthpiece H, and base or back I, screwed together, and the diaphragm Kis supported in the usual manner between the mouth-piece and body.

The electrode-support may be placed in the case and secured in position in various ways, and I have shown, as a simple, cheap, and effective manner of adjusting them relatively to the diaphragm, the case having an interior screw-thread and a corresponding screwthread upon the exterior of the holder, and by this simple means the position of the electrodes may be regulated by screwing the holder into the proper position. 7

Another simple way of securing the proper adjustment consists in placing an elastic ring or bearing, L, in the case, and then laying the holder upon the ring, when the interior flange of the rear case, I, will force the electrodes into proper adjustment. The elastic ring may also be used when the holder is screwed into the case, when it acts as a sort of lock-nut to prevent the holder moving out of adjustment. Suitable bindingscrews, 1 and 2, are secured to the case and connected to the respective coiled springs.

The telephone may be supported in any desired manner, and in Fig. 2 I have shown one convenient way, consisting of brackets or standards M, having bearings in the extremities, in which the binding-screws 3 4. rest, they performing the double function of conductors and trunnions, and a screw-nut, :0, may be used to set it in the desired position. The brackets or standards may form part of the line, if of metal, or the line'wires may be embedded in them.

The operation of thetelephone is apparent frornthe above. The electrodes, supported in the springs secured in the holder, are ad nsted so that one, as A, is in contact with the diaphragm, and with the other electrode or the platinum piece between the carbon electrodes, and this contact can be accurately and delicately adjusted to suit. The electrodes will thus be held in elastic contact by spring-pressure, and will respond to slight variations or vibrations of the diaphragm.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. The combination, with an electrode, of a volute spring, the electrode being secured to the smallest coil of the spring and extending beyond the largest coil, substantially as de scribed.

2. The combination of two electrodes, each supported in a volute spring, and a holder for the springs, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with two electrodes,

each supported by a volute spring of conducting material, of an insulating-holder supporting the springs.

. 4. The combination, with two electrodes of carbon, each supported in a volute spring of conducting material, of an insulatingholder for the springs and a platinum electrode supported between the carbon electrodes, substantially as described.

5. The combination, with a case having an internal screw-thread and carrying a diaphragm, of a holder having a corresponding screw-thread and carrying two electrodes supported in volute springs, one of the electrodes bearing against the diaphragm, substantially as described.

6. The combination, with a ccae and diaphragm therein, of a holder of insulating material, volute springs connected to the holder, electrodes carried by'said springs and one arranged in contact with the diaphragm, means for adjusting the holder in the case, and an elastic cushion between the holder and the case, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof l have signed 11] y name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HENRY E. 'WAITE.

Witnesses:

A. T. HANSMANN, in. S. SAYERS. 

